DAWNING OF WISDOM
by ariel1200s
Summary: Someone is tired of Max and Alec fighting all the time. When something tragic happens she decides to give them a little push towards realizing how perfect they are for each other. Dark Angel-Supernatural-Sin City xover.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dark Angel, Supernatural, or Sin City

AN: For those who haven't seen Supernatural or Sin City, Dean Winchester is a hunter of the paranormal played by Jensen Ackles, or Alec. Natalie is a dancer at a bar played by Jessica Alba, or Max.

Mia knew exactly when the two transgenics entered the building. They were arguing loudly about something, but she wasn't sure about what.

"I can't believe you did that!"

"Hey, it's not my fault. The guy looked like he lives off donuts. The way I look at it, I was doing Bubba a favor."

"The only reason you took them away was so you could eat them yourself."

"So. I've never had one before, and I was curious."

Max groaned, "Couldn't you be curious on someone else? No, of course not…you had to be your usual stupid self. I mean he's the god damn senator, Alec. And he was negotiating for peace between us and ordinaries."

"Relax Max, no need to have a stick up your-"

"If you even think of finishing that sentence, I will personally make sure you can't have any of your one night stands for a long time," she growled.

Mia sighed. She was getting tired of these two fighting all the time. It was so obvious that if they shut up and paid attention that they would be perfect for each other.

All she had to do was figure out a way to get them to appreciate each other.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dark Angel, Supernatural, or Sin City**

**AN: For those who haven't seen Supernatural or Sin City, Dean Winchester is a hunter of the paranormal played by Jensen Ackles, or Alec. Natalie is a dancer at a bar played by Jessica Alba, or Max.**

"Uh! I'm tired of this Alec. You act like such a kid without a worry in the world! Why can't you think about somebody besides yourself for a change!"

An intense look of hurt flashed through Alec's eyes before his Manticore mask slipped into place, "Well you're no picnic in the park either! God, why do you always have to pick a fight with somebody? Who're you trying to act tough for?**"**

"I'm tired of all your stupid little jokes and your smart-alec attitude."

"Ya, well, I'm tired of how you can't take a joke. Now I know why everyone is always callin' you the Ice Bitch!"

Max almost said something, but snapped her mouth shut. Alec lamented when he saw that his comment hurt her, "Max, I'm-"

"No! You know what, I'm leaving."

"Max, I'm trying to tell you I'm sor-"

"Why do you care? Just go screw one of your bimbos and forget about your feelings like you always do."

"Ya, and you walk away from your problems. Isn't that what you 09ers always do?"

Max stopped and was deadly quiet. She didn't turn around to face him when she spoke, "How about you just stay away from me, and I'll stay away from you. We'll both be happy."

"Fine."

"Fine!"

"FINE!"

If Alec didn't know any better he could've swore he saw a tear roll down her cheek, but she put on her glasses before he could tell. She turned around, got on her motorcycle, and sped off.

AN: FYI it killed me to write this almost as much as it killed you guys to read it.


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dark Angel, Supernatural, or Sin City**

**AN: For those who haven't seen Supernatural or Sin City, Dean Winchester is a hunter of the paranormal played by Jensen Ackles, or Alec. Natalie is a dancer at a bar played by Jessica Alba, or Max.**

**That being said, feel free to review and let me know what you think.**

Alec was doing some paperwork at HQ when his phone went off.

"Hello?" he asked hopefully. He had been feeling really bad about their fight, but he just couldn't bring himself to dial her number. Max wasn't the only one who had been hurt in that fight.

He held the phone a little ways away from his ear when she started screaming at him, "OC, calm down, I can't understand you."

She started yelling again, so Alec gave up and just held the phone a few inches away and tried to understand her, "What do mean, I didn't do anything to her."

There was a pause while OC responded, "No, I mean we had a little fight-"

…

"She WHAT!" OC had calmed down somewhat, so Alec had to move the phone to his ear to hear her.

"And you just let her?!"

….

"You should have stopped her!" he yelled grabbing his coat and keys.

…

Alec held the phone away when she raised her voice hysterically, "Okay, sorry. You're right; she's damned stubborn when she's mad."

...

"Well, we were fighting like usual, but it somehow turned bad."

…

"She might have mentioned staying apart so we wouldn't have to see each other, but OC – I would never have said that if I knew she was going to leave permanently…"

Alec walked out the door and up to his bike.

"She already packed everything?" he asked in disbelief.

…

"Did she mention where she was going?"

…

"That's pretty vague," he said, defeated.

…

"No, I guess she doesn't want to be found. Well, there's only one main road to there, let's hope she took it."

Alec mounted his motorcycle and put the keys in the ignition.

"OC, don't worry, I won't stop until I find her," he soothed before hanging up and peeling out, very much the same as Max had done earlier.

**AN: I hope that wasn't too confusing, but Max has packed everything up and decided to leave Seattle for good.**

**Like it? Hate it? Let me know.**


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dark Angel, Supernatural, or Sin City**

**AN: For those who haven't seen Supernatural or Sin City, Dean Winchester is a hunter of the paranormal played by Jensen Ackles, or Alec. Natalie is a dancer at a bar played by Jessica Alba, or Max.**

A couple people riding their bicycles scrambled to get out of the way of Alec's motorcycle as he recklessly sped down the street. They flipped him the bird, to which Alec responded in kind with his own bird. He wasn't really in the mood to care; a lot was at stake here.

He was shifting gears like mad and probably wasting his quarter tank of gas with his driving, but if he didn't, he might not catch Max. And if he didn't get to Max in time…

Alec cursed and slammed on his brakes, stopping just in the nick of time.

The little white kitten looked up at him innocently, unaware of the danger it's life had been in mere seconds ago, and purred.

"C'mon, get out of the way." It meowed and flounced over to his booted foot and rubbed against him. Alec was about ready to lose all patience when he looked into its eyes. They were like any normal eyes, bright green, but they held this haunted wisdom in them that he immediately wanted to take away. Kittens should be happy and cute, without a worry in the world. **B**ut even though Alec wanted to make it happy, he felt comfortable with that knowing stare of someone with a grim past.

Alec reached down and petted its head. It responded eagerly, lifting up on its short hind legs for a firmer pat.

Despite the situation, Alec found himself smiling.

'If only Max was this easy to get along with,' he thought to himself with a smirk. Alec stopped suddenly, his thoughts screaming one thing at him- MAX!

Something happened to her-he could feel it – and it was bad.

The kitten sensed something too, because it started mewling loudly. Protesting, as if it knew Alec was getting ready to leave it behind.

A noise caught Alec's attention. He looked back and noticed a pack of dogs. The cat's protesting brought the attention of some unwanted company. They crept closer to the oblivious kitten.

Alec swore softly and made his decision. Leaning over he scooped up the kitten, zipped him securely in his jacket, and peeled out.


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dark Angel, Supernatural, or Sin City**

**AN: For those who haven't seen Supernatural or Sin City, Dean Winchester is a hunter of the paranormal played by Jensen Ackles, or Alec. Natalie is a dancer at a bar played by Jessica Alba, or Max.**

**AN: Lots of swearing in this chapter, be warned. **

**Special thanks to Dark Roswellian Angel for faithfully reviewing every chapter. ******** You're great.**

Alec wanted to rip the heart monitor out of the wall. The beeping was driving him slowly insane.

The white kitten, as it turned out, was very intuitive. It seemed to sense Alec's frustration for it padded over to his chair and rubbed against his leg. He stared hollowly at it, not really seeing it. Alec wasn't here right now, not really. He was lost in his thoughts.

It was like some horror movie nightmare where it would replay every bad memory he had over and over until he wanted to beat his head against a wall. It was making him crazy. All he could think about was how she looked when he found her.

Alec shuddered and went to grab her hand, if only to make sure that she was really there, but he caught himself. He couldn't even hold her hand without hurting her. Instead he let it hover, his blood caked hand contrasting starkly with her fresh white, bandaged hand.

The blood on his hand had dried hours ago, but he couldn't move himself from her bedside. He just couldn't.

But the more he thought about the more horrified he was. He quickly moved his soiled hand away from her clean bandages.

Blood. There had been so much of it. It was smeared across the rough pavement, splattered on the wall, all of it made a sort of grotesque trail to where it was pooled under…

He looked at the kitten that jumped in his lap and was licking at his hand – at the blood…Max's blood.

His eyes widened in horror. He sprang to his feet. Alec subconsciously realized that he had dumped the feline onto the floor, but that was all the thought he gave to it. Right now, all he could think about was getting to a sink. He didn't want blood on his hands. He didn't want anybody's blood on his hands anymore. He especially didn't want _her _blood on his hands.

After a quick once over of the room he found that there wasn't a sink in there. Frantically, he rushed out of the room and into the hall of TC's medical center. He didn't even acknowledge those who greeted him. The only thing he wanted was to find a sink because for some reason, knowing that he had Max's blood on his hands was making him nauseous.

He rushed into a bathroom and promptly emptied his stomach until he had nothing left.

He flushed and rushed over to the sink where he rinsed his mouth of the bile. He gagged when he realized that the coppery taste wasn't from the rusted old pipes at all, but from his hands. The water he had cupped in them had a reddish-brown tint to them from the blood. He threw it in the sink as he tried to keep from getting sick again.

His eyes welled up, one singular tear venturing down his face. He sniffed and turned on the water with shaky hands. He began scrubbing furiously.

_Get clean, _kept rolling through his mind like a mantra.

But they wouldn't come clean, no matter how hard he scrubbed. He couldn't scrub all the blood off; the blood of Manticore, Rachel, - Max.

He continued with a renewed vigor. _Sure as hell can try._

Somebody grabbed a hold of his wrist. He looked up, hoping against all odds that maybe it was her, coming down to chew him out for hogging the bathroom or something equally irrelevant, but it wasn't.

"Alec," Mia started slowly.

He held up his hands, "Blood." He answered as if that explained everything, although it confused even him.

But he had to hand it to Mia, she was damn good at Psy-Ops because realization dawned on her face, "Alec, your hands are clean, see?" she held them up for him to look at, which he did. They were clean in a literal sense, albeit a little pink from him scrubbing them raw, but there wasn't a speck on them.

It didn't matter, he didn't care about that. He was just so tired of fighting, and running, and _death. _ He was just tired altogether: physically, mentally, and spiritually. His very soul was tired. He didn't want this blood to be on his hands anymore.

He realized Mia was speaking again.

"You can't change what happened in the past…or control what's going to happen in the future. I've tried. It doesn't work that way. You can only do your best, carry out your decisions, and hope it's enough influence to get you your desired outcome," she paused as she searched his eyes.

There was a silence in the air, both avoiding the big proverbial elephant issue that had settled over them. They fidgeted awkwardly.

Finally Mia brought it up, "I came as soon as I heard…how's she doing?"

Alec gave a rueful lopsided smirk, "Well, when she crashed her bike she broke her left arm and has a hair-line fracture on her foot. Her arms and legs are skinned up and look like jelly. Oh yeah, did I mention she has two gunshot wounds?" Mia's eyes widened comically. Alec laughed ruthlessly.

"She's been in a sleep-like coma for the last three hours, so we still don't know whether she got those before or after she crashed her bike."

He gave a haggard sigh before shaking his head, "God, there was so much…blood."

He looked Mia dead in the eye, "She should be dead," he said in an eerily calm voice, "Even transgenics can't survive that. But they still don't know if she'll ever wake up – or even make it through the night."

He put his hands over his face, "Fuck." He uttered quietly.

Mia put her hand on his shoulder. He looked at her, and she was shocked to find tears rolling down his face.

He looked heavenward, "FUUUUCK!!"

Mia had never heard such raw, naked anguish, and it caused her to cry silently as well.

In a sudden burst of rage, Alec unknowingly mimicked Ben, punching the mirror, making his glaring face into tens of little reflections, all scowling back at him. Mia flinched.

Without taking his eyes off the broken glass that so resembled his soul right now, he spoke, "The doc said that she's not fighting hard enough. She's given up. Max: spit-fire, bitchy, passionate, free-spirited…Max fucking Guevera, the most persistent and stubborn person I know, has been beat."

Mia, who had patiently listened to him, suddenly shook her head vehemently.

He looked at her with an unbelieving smirk.

"That's not true, and you know it."

He clenched his jaws together and chuckled ruthlessly, "Yeah? It's what the doctors keep saying. For some reason she survived that attack, but she won't survive the coma because she isn't trying hard enough. It's like she doesn't care if she lives now…she has no reason to live."

"Yes she does. She just doesn't know it yet."

"Really, why would she possibly want to come out of that coma. She's been fighting and running all of her life! She's been through so much crap in her life. She's in so much crap right now! What could she want to come out of it for, huh? Her friends she can't leave TC to see? Could it be her stressful, full-time job of leading us transgenics? Or my personal favorite, her 'not like that' boyfriend that she can't touch or he'll DIE?!"

He paused for a second and lowered his voice, but it still held all it's venom, "You really think she has a reason to want to keep living? Cuz I'd sure as hell like to know about it. With all that she's lived through, she'd have to out of her fucking mind to want to come out of that coma."

Mia didn't break eye contact when she answered him, "You're right. She would have to be out of her mind to come out of that coma right now," he flinched, so she continued, "but that's because she doesn't know that she _does _have something to live for."

Alec looked taken back, "And what's that?"

"You."

**Woah, I'm glad I don't kiss my mommy with these fingers. Dirty bastar- I mean, things, dirty things. Sorry for the language, but I just can't stand it when Alec keeps everything bottled up like he does…it causes wrinkles.**

**Well, I'm happy you read this, but I'd be ecstatic if you'd review…please?**


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dark Angel, Supernatural, or Sin City**

**AN: For those who haven't seen Supernatural or Sin City, Dean Winchester is a hunter of the paranormal played by Jensen Ackles, or Alec. Natalie is a dancer at a bar played by Jessica Alba, or Max.**

"Me? The only reason she has to live for is…_me?"_

He was silent to make sure she wasn't joking.

When he saw that she was serious he snorted derisively, "Oh god, she's dead."

Mia slapped him upside the head. He looked at her incredulously.

"What is it with you transgenic women and hitting on me?" he asked, "And not in the good way," he added as an afterthought.

"Don't you know? We can't keep our hands off you," she said in a faux dreamy voice.

"Knew it," he mumbled under his breath.

When she glared at him, he couldn't help, but crack a small smile.

"Feeling better?"

He nodded reluctantly.

"Ready to hear me out now?"

He sighed dramatically, "I guess I'll hear your crazy theory, but just so you know – I have this friend who works at this really nice insane asylum."

She looked at him in disbelief.

"No, really, it's extremely respectable – top of the state or whatever. Only the best loonies make it in."

When Mia found herself hitting him upside the head again, she felt like she now understood why Max did it so much. It really was impossible to not to. She held Max in a whole new light now, being able to put up with him the way she did.

He glared at her as he rubbed his head.

"Are you going to be quiet now."

He continued to glare at her.

"Good. Now, yes, you're the only reason Max would come out that coma. You were right when you said she had nothing else to live for. She really doesn't, but I do believe that you are the only one that could snap her out of it and bring her back."

"Are you serious? She hates me!"

Mia smiled mysteriously, "She's crazy about you."

Alec scoffed, "She sure has a funny way of showing it."

"You filthy hypocrite!" she exclaimed with a grin, "You're obviously crazy about her and just yesterday you were calling her an Ice Bitch."

He mumbled something under his breath.

"Excuse me."

He looked up at her, "Quoted. I quoted that others called her Ice Bitch. I wouldn't call Max that either to her face or behind her back. I respect her too much."

Mia smiled triumphantly, "You sure have a funny way of showing it."

Alec frowned. He absolutely hated it when Max threw his own words back at him, and he didn't like it anymore when Mia did it.

But he took a few moments and let her words sink in. If she was right, then it could mean the life or death of Maxie.

The longer he thought about it, the more he realized that she wasn't an absolutely stark crazy, raving lunatic. Her words held a point sharper than a knife. Their truth kept stabbing him with a realization that was so sudden that he almost smacked himself in the forehead for not realizing sooner.

Maybe Max really cared about him.

I mean, it was obvious he cared for her after the way he acted today, but he just didn't know how to show it.

He glanced at Mia threateningly, "You better not be messing with me just to get my hopes up."

Mia's smile turned sad, "Alec, I know it's hard, but trust me on this."

His face softened. Even if Mia turned out to be wrong he still had to try. Alec McDowell was about to put his feelings out on the line. The last and _only _time that happened, he got his heart broke and killed his first love. He hoped that wouldn't be the case again.

If that happened this time with Max, he wasn't sure he could survive it.

**For those who wanted to know, this story will cross over. I'm just taking a long time to get there, you know, just to torture and build suspense. JK! Don't swamp me with spam. I'm just writing what may come while I think of how to go about the switch.**


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dark Angel, Supernatural, or Sin City**

**AN: For those who haven't seen Supernatural or Sin City, Dean Winchester is a hunter of the paranormal played by Jensen Ackles, or Alec. Natalie is a dancer at a bar played by Jessica Alba, or Max.**

Mia nodded encouragingly when Alec stopped short of Max's bed, "Just talk to her. Let her know that you're here for her."

"How do I know she'll hear me?"

"You won't know until you try."

When he didn't move forward Mia gave him a push. He stumbled clumsily until he was up to the bed. He fiddled a little bit, and then grabbed a chair. It broke the silence, scraping obnoxiously loud, as he dragged it to him. He plunked down on it.

Hesitating for only a second more, he turned to Mia, "Do you think I could," he cleared his throat that was tight with emotion.

Mia didn't let him finish, "Of course."

She walked to the door, giving one last tidbit of wisdom, "Alec?"

He tore his eyes away from Max to look at her.

"You don't have to think of some big speech, just talk to her like you would normally talk."

She gave him one last weak smile, like a flickering light, before she left the room and quietly closed the door.

Alec turned back around to face Max. She was so pale…fragile. He hated how she had to have a machine breathe for her; it just wasn't right. His eyes ran over the bandages he could see from the ones covering her arms to the cast on her wrist.

For the first time, he noticed a lump at her side. Alec had a moment of panic, wondering if it was some weird, football-sized tumor, until it moved. He followed the lump as it moved up. Out poked the head of the white kitten.

Alec gushed out the breath he hadn't been aware that he was holding and picked it up. He sat it in his lap and petted it while he started talking.

"Talk to you like I usually do, huh?"

It occurred to Alec that that was a stupid idea, and he wondered why Mia had even said it. She was usually more insightful than that.

Wasn't it obvious by Max being here, that his way of talking to her hadn't worked before. Surely Mia knew that Max was leaving her only home because of the fight they had.

Then he realized that maybe she had said that because she could tell how nervous he was. Alec had never had any trouble talking the fairer sex before, but right now his palms were sweaty and all he could think of to say was-

"Hi."

Alec studied her helplessly, looking for any signs of her miraculously being fixed. When he saw she wasn't going to wake up, he slouched over.

"This is stupid. I don't know what Mia has going through her head, but if she thinks that you'll wake up just because I tell you I'm here for you, then she must be losing her touch."

He let out a frustrated breath at the end of his rant before starting again softly, "But it's worth a shot."

He rolled his shoulders, inhaled deeply, and began.

"Max, I know you don't want to come out of there, but you have to try. You can't just give up on me like this. It's not fair…I just want you to know that I'm here for- no I want you to know that I _need _you."

He chuckled mirthlessly.

"That's right, I need you, Max. I don't think I can do this without you. It's only been a day and already TC is a crazed mess. Joshua just sits and a corner and howls, Dix and Luke can't seem to crack any codes- heck, even Mole's been quiet.

But that's not all I need you for, Maxie. I need you back because you're my friend. I don't like the fact that I can count all my friends on one hand."

He looked down, "It sucks when you realize that you have so little to live for."

His eyes focused back on her face thoughtfully, "But I guess you know that too. You may think you have nothing to live for, but I want you to know that you do…you have me Max. You can live for me. I promise I won't let you down."

The cat nudged him in the side when he stopped petting it.

Alec looked down and spoke, frustrated, to it, "It's not working. Why isn't it working?! What am I doing wrong?"

When the kitten brought forth no answers, Alec grew desperate.

"Come on Maxie, come back," he put his hand on her forehead and brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ears.

_Beep._

Alec jumped and pulled his hand back, but the beeping didn't stop. His eyes flew over to her heart monitor. Relief washed through him when he saw that it was still working, the white line making steady blips. He flicked his gaze up and saw that the new beep was coming from above it.

The green line that had been flat before was now making little jumps. It was unsteady, but rapidly growing stronger, each blip that passed getting louder until it was a confident tempo that had Alec grinning in hope.

He took enough field med to know that that particular green line meant that she was no longer in a vegetate state – Max now had brain activity.

He beamed down at her and stroked her forehead, "That's my Maxie."

**Woot woot. Another chapter down, and I think you should be happy to know that I have worked out everything I need to make the crossover. It won't be long now. R&R please!**


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dark Angel, Supernatural, or Sin City**

**AN: For those who haven't seen Supernatural or Sin City, Dean Winchester is a hunter of the paranormal played by Jensen Ackles, or Alec. Natalie is a dancer at a bar played by Jessica Alba, or Max.**

**Be forewarned, this chapter's kinda angsty.**

**Special dedication to 452max for all the reviews. ******** Gracias!!**

For the next three days Alec kept his emotions in check, all for the simple reason that, now, he had hope. He'd had hope since Max had started showing signs of brain activity.

But as the week progressed, his newfound hope had started to dwindle. He still came in and talked to her, told her stories of Joshua's latest misadventure, or what Mole had complained about that day, but it was a struggle to keep positive when she showed no signs of changing.

He had caught his self a few times whenever he would become frustrated; he would just stop talking and leave Max's room. There was just nothing more he could do. He smuggled Cindy and Sketchy in one night, but still no response.

OC had grabbed his arm in the door way and asked him to stay back. Alec had been frightened by the serious dread in her eyes.

He couldn't keep what happened out of his mind.

_Sketchy took the hint and stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind. _

_Cindy closed her eyes and took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she was about to do. She cursed the doctor. Why couldn't _they _bring this up with Alec? When OC had asked her that question, the doctor had responded that Alec trusted her and would listen to what she said, since she was- _is _the best friend._

"_What's wrong?" Cindy had been all laughs throughout her visit, telling jokes of Normal and how he still bip, bip, bipped everyone at JamPony. _

_She put a hand on his arm, "Alec, we- _OC _think you need to set a date."_

_His eyes flicked back and forth rapidly, "A date? For what?"_

_Cindy couldn't answer his question. Her throat was constricted painfully, and she had to swallow repeatedly._

_Alec didn't need her to, her reaction was answer enough._

"_Y-you want me to set a _date?!"

_Cindy's eyes welled up, "Alec you know that the longer home girl stays in this, the less chance she has of waking up."_

_Alec refused stubbornly to meet her eyes. He didn't want to listen to her reasoning; as they say, ignorance is bliss._

_Cindy saw this and tried a different approach, "Alec, you gotta think of what's best for Max. Maybe Max ain't gotta choice, but Cindy do know a thing or to bout her boo. OC knows she wouldn't wanna be all bed ridden and what not…and she knows that if she really wanted out, she woulda fought her way back by now."_

_Alec clenched his jaws as her truth rang out in his head, but he still refused to meet her eyes._

_OC sighed, "Look, Cindy ain't forcin' ya to make yo decision now, but she jus wanted ya to know dat you may hafta do it one day."_

_There was silence after that before Cindy spoke up, "Can OC git a minute wit her boo?"_

_As Alec left the room, he paused at the door when OC started talking. He realized she wasn't talking to him, so he chanced a look back._

_She was petting Max's head, her back to him, the same way Alec had days before when her brain 'woke up'._

"_Boo, when ya said bye, OC didn't think it was permanent. Damn girl, but I'm gonna miss you."_

_She leaned over and hugged her. Alec had never, _never _seen OC cry, but when she straightened the tears gleamed in the light as they trailed down her puffy red cheeks._

_She turned around and caught Alec staring, but didn't scold him. She just walked to the door. She nodded at him once and started to leave._

_He reached out and caught her, "What if I can't do it?"_

_She searched Alec's eyes before making a decision, "If you honestly can't bring ya self to do the deed, then OC will, but OC thinks that you should be the one to do it."_

_Alec looked confused, "Why?"_

_A ghost of a smile played across her face, before it disappeared into despair, "Coz, you were her boy. She told you evrethin'. She kept secrets from me. She told me dat, and OC accepted it. It may not make you feel any better now, but Orig-inal Cindy always knew that she came in second afta you."_

"_So sure OC'll make a choice, but she thinks dat dat's the job of the _best _friend."_

With those words of wisdom she had left.

And four weeks later found Alec standing at the foot of her bed.

He stared at her a moment before he started talking to her. It came naturally to him now; he was used to the one-sided conversations.

"RC picked up what was left of your bike. I knew you would skin me alive if I left your 'baby' out in the mean nasty streets all by its lonesome self."

He gave a small chuckle at the memory.

"So anyway, I finally got a hold of Logan," he smirked at her ruefully, "and you know what? This whole time he was out in Russia with some scientist named Mischivakila, or something. He finally found the cure Max."

His smirk left and his eyes became distant, "He found the god-damn _cure. _Now if that's not ironic, I don't know what is."

He shrugged his shoulders and continued, "I told everything, and he's on his way here. After he says goodbye, they're going to-"

_Pull the plug._

He was going to say it, but it was way too painful. His throat closed up and his eyes watered.

He cleared his throat and started again, "I figured this is my chance to say goodbye…I, uh, brought you something," he said in the cheeriest voice he could muster.

He had stumbled across a pretty decent teddy bear. It was missing an eye, but it was the thought that counts, and all that BS for people who couldn't afford anything better. He even held a bouquet of white daisies that he picked himself. It had taken him twenty minutes on his motorcycle to find a patch where they still grew. He wouldn't settle for anything else because they were her favorite. They had gotten a little windblown on the ride back, but they were still pretty.

He cleared his throat and walked up to the table beside her bed as he spoke, "I know I told you that I was too manly to give flowers, but you make me different. You make me want to be a better person."

Alec laid the flowers down on the table and tucked the teddy bear into the crook of her arm. He folded her arm back over it, so she was holding it.

He looked down, "Pitiful isn't it? You're my best friend and I treated you worse than I ever treated Manticore."

Tears welled up in his eyes, but the dam didn't break yet – it was still holding.

"And I just wanted to say…I'm sorry. I'm sorry I almost killed you, I'm sorry I'm the reason you can't- _couldn't_ touch Logan, I'm sorry I'm the pain in your ass, and…"

He broke off unable to say it.

He knew he would never forgive himself if he didn't say it, so he took a deep breath and forced it out.

"And I'm sorry I fell in love with you…and I realized it too late."

One brave tear ventured down his face, and that was all it took to release the torrent. He leaned over, gripped her arms, buried his face in her chest, and sobbed.

A small knock sounded on the door. He looked up, for once unashamed of the tears streaming down his face.

Mia cleared her throat softly, "Logan's on his way here…just thought I'd let you know."

She walked away from the private moment she felt bad for intruding on. It was sad to see that kind of love end.

Alec looked back down at Max.

"I guess I have to go now…I love you Maxie."

He bent down and placed a single tender kiss on her lips.

He passed Logan on the way out, too upset to notice Max's beeper going crazy.

**Cliff – y! That's all I gotta say. But don't worry I'm working on the next chapter as you read this…seriously. BTW, this may sound kind've morbid, but let me know if this chapter made you cry. I don't want to be the only emotional weeny here.  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dark Angel, Supernatural, or Sin City**

**AN: For those who haven't seen Supernatural or Sin City, Dean Winchester is a hunter of the paranormal played by Jensen Ackles, or Alec. Natalie is a dancer at a bar played by Jessica Alba, or Max.**

Max didn't know how long she had been swimming in this blackness. All she knew was that it was safe, warm, and a whole hell of a lot better than her real life – especially when _he _would talk to her.

She couldn't understand him, and she didn't know who _he _was, but he made her feel…

Well, to be honest, Max wasn't sure how _he _made her feel- it hurt to think that hard. But she did know that she liked the particular feeling that he provoked.

She was sure she hadn't felt it before. Happiness, joy, hope…peace? Maybe a mixture of all those.

There was one emotion she refused to name: Love.

For how could she love someone until she knew them?

No Max refused to say she was in love with this unnamable person she referred to as _he._

So she just bid her time, enjoying the feelings she felt when he was around.

Sometimes other people would come, but they were just a distant thought, like the breeze. Unexpected pleasure, but always drifting on, far, far away. They came, and they went, and she didn't give them anymore thought than she would the wind.

And it was like that until _he _came back, her sun, something that always brightened her day.

She was only sad when _he _was gone. The others didn't really affect her. She could live on and thrive without the wind, but she would wither and wilt without her sun.

That's all that mattered in Max's head. Her sun.

Sometimes he would be upset, and she wanted desperately to comfort him, but every time she would venture even a smidgen out of her peaceful mind, she was thwarted with memories of and awful and pain-filled life.

She would close the door violently, and be smothered in the darkness once again, until her sun brightened it up.

She had wondered how long it would go on like this. Was she always going to stay here, hiding from herself? Afraid to face her life.

Max knew that to get out of here she would have to face all those memories because deep down she accepted that to go back, she would have to remember who she was.

Thoughts like this plagued her until one day. Her sun came as usual, but there was something terribly wrong. He sounded so upset. Her felt so bad that she did something drastic.

She tentatively opened her barrier.

Immediately she was bombarded with memories, thoughts. Some were just still pictures, while others were more like movie clips.

The ones of kids were mostly black and white: training on mats, holding her breath under water, stories of the high place.

Voices echoed around in her head as she watched her childhood horrors play out.

_We're wolves in sheep's clothing._

_Stay out of his way Maxie, or he'll come for you too._

_X5-599, I've got a heart for you._

Max just barely managed to close them off. It was just too painful.

She listened desperately to hear his voice.

"_I guess I have to go now…"_

What? She didn't want her sun to go away. The darkness she hadn't minded before, started closing in on her.

"_I love you Maxie."_

She felt something warm on her lips.

Suddenly, she didn't care if she had no clue who her sun was, she was in love with him.

That's right Max Guevera was in love damn-it! And nothing was going to stand in her way now.

She glared at her barrier defiantly, knowing what was lurking on the other side, but not caring one bit.

_Bring it on bitch!_

Max was immediately engulfed and swept away in her memories; her sun left her thoughts completely. She had to face these by herself.

It was excruciating. Every pain, every thought, every feeling she had ever experienced was now bombarding through her.

In a matter of seconds she had relived her whole life. She remembered Zack. She remembered Ben. She remembered Lydecker, Normal, Sketchy, Mole, Joshua, Cindy, Logan…and she remembered Alec.

She remembered everything.

Even why she was here.

It was suddenly over, and she felt she could take a breath for the first time.

She inhaled, but gagged on something in her throat. She coughed and sputtered, trying to breathe, but she was choking.

In her panic, she vaguely heard someone approach her bed, but they hesitated as if unsure.

_I'm choking, damn it, get your ass in gear._

The tube-like thing was removed from her throat and she gasped, catching her breath.

When she had it under control, she opened her eyes for the first time in…a while.

Logan?

She was upset. _He _was her sunshine.

He had his hand on her cheek and was looking at her with this gleam in his eye that she couldn't quite place.

Max broke the stare when she glared at something that was beeping crazily. She realized that it was her heart monitor.

Logan looked at it too, and without moving the hand that was on her face, flipped it off. He turned around and faced her again.

After she got over her initial disappointment, she found that she was able to place the gleam that was in his eye, and it both scared and disgusted her.

Lust.

How could he be thinking about that in a time like this?

Something was off here. She couldn't quite place it, but Logan was offering no help. He seemed content to keep his hand on her cheek and let her figure it out herself.

The virus!

Max's eyes widened and she threw his hand away from her.

"Are you out of your mind?" she croaked weakly. "Why the hell'd you do that?"

She studied him, waiting to see the inevitable bumps that would appear, the deadly sign to his demise, but nothing.

He was just grinning.

She watched him for another minute before she opened her mouth to ask.

Logan beat her to it though, "I found the cure."

Max felt immediate relief, and then, "You _ass! _You could've told me that before I had the nervous breakdown!!"

Logan held up his hands in a placating gesture, but Max didn't want to be calmed down, "NO! you know what, I just woke up from a coma, and you have the nerve-"

She broke off mid-rant as something fell from her arms and landed on the bed. She looked at it, silently.

"Y-you got me a teddy bear?" Logan was quiet. When she went to look at him she noticed something from the corner of her eye.

She turned to it. What she saw there finally brought the tears out that she had been holding back since the teddy bear.

"How did you know my favorite was white daisies?"

Logan just stayed silent. Not really lying, but knowingly letting her assume that he had. It seemed to make her happy anyway.

Max leaned forward and pulled him into a hug, which he obliged to happily.

He looked up and thought he saw Alec standing in the door, but he convinced himself that it was just his conscious playing tricks on him.

Max leaned back, breaking the hug. She suddenly realized where Logan's misplaced lust had come from. Of course he would feel that; he had touched her for the first time in two years.

She may not want sex right now, but she figured that Logan had every right to feel that way. He was a guy, after all.

"So…" Max said breaking the silence, "Where is everybody?"

Logan answered automatically; too busy staring at her face, "I don't know. I just got here."

Max stiffened imperceptibly, "Where were they yesterday?"

"Max, I just got back from Russia today," he explained with a slight, but condescending tone.

Did I just make _him _up? I know _he _was here longer than that.

Logan seemed to realize her troubled thoughts, "Something wrong?"

"No, it's just- …never mind," she shook her head.

Max blurted out her next sentence before she could stop herself, "Where's Alec?"

Max closed her eyes. _Stupid, stupid, stupid. _Every 'stupid' was accompanied with a mental smack to the forehead.

Logan stiffened, "Uh…I'm sure I can find him for you."

"No, no," Max hastened to assure, "I'm sure if he'll drop by eventually…if he cares, that is," she muttered.

Logan nodded, but he heard what she had mumbled. _He cares more than you know._

Logan heard from Mia that he had been here everyday. He even spent the night sometimes, falling asleep in the hard plastic chair, with his head next to Max on her bed.

He glanced guiltily at the bear and flowers that he claimed he had given her.

_He cares a _lot _more than you know._

**You see that, ladies and gentleman? It's known as many names: Logan Cale…Eyes Only…Roller Boy (chuckles)…but right now, I'm calling it: That stupid manipulating git!! **

**Okay I gotta go to bed now (gotta get up early) so that's probably it for tonight (unless something really inspiring hits me while I'm in the shower), but you know the deal, review if you love me! Uh, or hate me, I guess…although I wouldn't like reading flames as much as compliments. ******


	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dark Angel, Supernatural, or Sin City**

**AN: For those who haven't seen Supernatural or Sin City, Dean Winchester is a hunter of the paranormal played by Jensen Ackles, or Alec. Natalie is a dancer at a bar played by Jessica Alba, or Max.**

Max was upset. Logan had left an hour ago with a 'goodbye' kiss, saying that he had something that needed his immediate attention.

_Ya, ME!_

She fiddled with the teddy bear in her hands. Picking at the string that strayed out where it's missing eye used to be.

The kiss had been, well a kiss: physical contact on the lips and some swapped spit. It wasn't any different than any of their previous kisses, but somehow Max felt different. She never knew how a kiss was supposed to feel, so she just accepted them. She didn't mind before, but now she couldn't help to wonder.

Was there supposed to be more?

And why did she suddenly care? Nothing had changed. She still didn't know what a kiss should be like. Aside from her heat outcomes, Logan was the only person she had ever kissed; someone she kissed and actually cared about.

So what had changed?

Something flashed briefly through her mind, and she suddenly found herself thinking of _him. _

She automatically smiled, but paused when she thought about it. She admitted to herself that she loved him, so is that what was lacking between her and Logan…love?

Her eyes trailed over to the daisies that he put in a vase of water for her.

No, he _had _to love her. Those kinds of tender acts, so filled with thoughtfulness and care, could only come from someone who truly loved you. I mean, he even picked out her favorite!

She stilled her mindless picking at the bear's eye.

_How _did he know they were her favorite?

Before she could ponder her thoughts any longer a white kitten jumped onto her bed. It seated itself into her lap as it gazed at her deeply.

Max was a little unnerved at how intelligent it looked. It seemed to read her thoughts and peer right into her very soul.

She was startled out of her staring trance when someone walked through her door.

"Stupid cat's been following me _everywhere! _I couldn't even come here without it trailing behind…though, how it knew to come to your room before I could even get here is a surprise. As soon I stepped into Med Bay, it just took off! I thought I was done with it, but I guess not." Alec finished with a fixed glare on the kitten.

Max found her self curling it protectively into her arms, petting its fluffy cloud fur.

"I think it's cute," she shot back stubbornly, picking it up and rubbing her nose against its while she cooed at it adoringly.

Alec rolled his eyes at her, but couldn't squash the good mood he was in enough to let even a _small _frown mar his handsome features. He was so extremely happy about Max waking up, that he didn't even care that it was Logan who saw her first.

His smile got even bigger when he noticed that she was still holding the teddy bear.

He smirked, "You like the bear?"

Max frowned and looked at it defensively, "Yes, Alec, I _do _like the bear. It may be a little mangy, but it was such a sweet gesture. Besides, it's the thought that counts."

Alec smiled when she unconsciously quoted his exact words. His heart felt all warm and tingly when she said she liked his gift.

He held up his hands in surrender, "No, no. You're right. It's the thought that counts."

Max misinterpreted his agreement as sarcasm and frowned one more time before smiling at lovingly, "Yes, it is. You know it really was sweet of Logan to give me these."

Alec's heart froze.

"I had no idea that he paid so much attention to me…I mean do you believe it? He got me white daisies…I LOVE white daisies!"

Alec couldn't move. _She thought _Logan _got her those things?_

She continued on, oblivious to his torment, "He just so sweet and gentle and kind and-"

Alec interrupted her rant rudely, "He said that? He said _he _gave you those."

"Well," she replied in an agitated voice, "I asked him who got me these-"

"And let me guess," He snorted meanly, "He didn't say no."

Max glared at him for being such a jerk, "Well, _no!! _He didn't have to! Who else would have gotten me these!"

While Max glared at him, Alec was oblivious, too deep in his own pain to correct her. He wasn't sure which was worse: Killing your first love or knowing that your true love was _still _in the arms of another.

He suddenly snapped his eyes up to hers. Max was taken aback by the raw anguish she found there, but forced herself to maintain contact, glare for heated glare.

He sneered, "Yes, who could do something thoughtful besides _Logan, _the-holier-than-thou!"

Max scowled at him, "You know, I thought we could put our differences aside for once. I was fully prepared to be civil to you. I don't what _the hell _your problem is now, but you can just take it and shove it up your ass! Logan hasn't done anything to you!"

Alec's eyes flared dangerously, "Yes, because heaven forbid _he _be the one in the wrong this time! You just blindingly follow him around like a love sick puppy, and I'm sick of it!!"

"Ya, well maybe I'm sick of you too!"

"You know what, whatever. Enjoy your 'saint' of a boyfriend. I'm done."

Max was speechless at his tone. He walked up to her. For a split second Max was scared that he had been pushed too far, and was going to kill her, but she reminded her self that this wasn't Ben.

Without a word, Alec grabbed up the cat, which only mewled slightly in protest.

He turned on his heel and stalked to the doorway where he paused for only a second.

"Have a good life Max," he stated tightly, with a voice so cold and emotionless, it sent a shiver down Max's spine.

With those last words he walked out of the door and out of her life.

Max sat back, fuming. She looked at the bear. If wasn't so stubborn, she would have realized that there was no way her rich 'not like that' boyfriend would have bought her a present in anything but pristine condition. She glanced on time at the missing eye.

She absolutely loathed how Alec was always making her second guess her self.

In a moment of blind rage, she chucked the bear across the room where it bounced off the wall. Unfortunately, it thumped harmlessly to the ground, doing absolutely nothing to help her temper.

God, she needed to punch something. If Alec was still around he would have gotten a smack upside the head so seismonic that his biological donor of a mother would have felt it in her grave.

Max decided that was all Alec was good at: being a punching bag and pissing her off…

He also screwed things up with amazing talent, whether it was a mission or some blonde bimbo- Alec McDowell _always _screwed up.

"Well, GOOD RIDDANCE!!" she yelled to no one. It echoed off the walls of her room that she hadn't minded before, but was no closing in on her.

_Why do I feel like I've felt this way before?_

Out in the hallway, her voice carried to his ears. By the time it reached him, it was an indiscernible echo, but even the cat could pick out the unmistakable fury.

Alec stamped down on the urge he had to turn around and go comfort her. Why should he? He was the one with the broken heart; it was obvious that Max didn't care for him that way. She was still pining over Logan.

Alec scowled.

_Logan: _the man who fights the 'good war', the man who battles the bad and defends the weak, the man with unlimited honor.

Bull. Shit.

Alec may not have anything left to say to Max, but Wheeler Boy was definitely getting a visit from him in the future.

Why couldn't Max see past his phony image? Why did she have to be so infuriatingly stubborn? Why couldn't she just fall for him like every other female on the planet- OC excluded.

Why did Max have to be so…Max?!

He shook his head furiously. It didn't matter now, by this time tomorrow, he would be long gone.

The cat in his hands seemed to slump in his hands. Alec petted it, but it didn't purr like it usually did. It just looked up at him with those sad eyes that were much too wise for its years.

Looking down at it, he declared, "I won't change my mind."

He continued on, out the hall, and into the streets of TC.

Back at the door, Mia stood still, watching him until he turned the corner and was out of sight.

She shook her head. How did everything get so messed up? Everything was going so well: Alec realized how he felt- (at least, a little bit-), Max woke up from near death…everything was flowing smoothly, until Logan showed up – and with the cure, no less.

That was something Mia hadn't placed into her plans.

She gave an energetic shrug and cheerfully said to no one, "Oh well, I'll just have to give them a little kick in the asses."

She wanted them to figure it out naturally, not brave enough to tempt the fates, but they weren't made naturally…so Mia decided that nature couldn't run its course.

She had found her loop hole, and with not a moment to spare, what with Alec skipping town and Logan becoming virus-free.

Mia prayed that Alec wouldn't leave tonight and it was decided; she would make her move tonight.

**Okay, I just want to say that the crossover will be happening in the next chapter, but I would like to say some things first. I only watched bits and pieces of Sin City (the disc was scratched and wouldn't play) and it was over a year ago, so my portraying of Nancy and any of the other characters may not be so well. I would also like to say that since the point of this crossover is to make the other realize that they love each other just the way they are, there may be the slightest of character bashing. While I have no qualms about putting Nancy down, it's going to be really hard for me to diss Dean, but, it has to be done. It won't be severe, but I do have to make Alec look like the better choice or Max may just hop in the Impala and travel with the brothers…(thinks hard) maybe I'll do that in another story? You tell me. Review please!! **


	11. Author's Note

**To all of you who thought that this would be the next chapter, sorry, it's just a stupid author's note, I would like for you to read it.**

**Okay, I just want to say that the crossover will still be happening in the next chapter, but I would like to say some things first, just to clear some thing up and avoid ticking certain fans off. **

**I only watched bits and pieces of Sin City (the disc was scratched and I had to keep skipping parts) and it was over a year ago, so my portraying of Nancy and any of the other characters from Sin City will not be extremely accurate. I would also like to say that since the point of having this whole crossover is to make Max and Alec realize that they love each other just the way they are, there may be the slightest of character bashing. While I have don't have as many qualms about putting Nancy down, as I do Dean (it's going to be really hard for me to diss Dean), it has to be done. It won't be severe, but I do have to make Alec look like the better choice in this story or Max may just hop in the Impala and travel with the brothers…(thinks hard) maybe I'll do that in another story? You tell me. Review please!! **


	12. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dark Angel, Supernatural, or Sin City**

**AN: For those who haven't seen Supernatural or Sin City, Dean Winchester is a hunter of the paranormal played by Jensen Ackles, or Alec. Natalie is a dancer at a bar played by Jessica Alba, or Max.**

**Boo-yah, it's finally here, the cross-over. Enjoy, and tip me with a review…please?**

Mia waited until dark before she decided it was safe enough to make her move. She decided to visit Max first. Max was known to be unpredictable and a wild card, but right now, she was the easier to get, and then she could focus all of her attention on Alec.

She also knew that on some level, Alec had kind of accepted that he had feelings for Max; therefore, it would take Max longer to come to her senses. It only made sense to give her a head start.

Mia was surprised to find her asleep. Max was infamous for having shark DNA, sleeping as little as one hour a day for weeks on end. When she was close enough, she spied tear stains on her cheeks. Max had cried her self until she fell asleep.

Mia needed eye contact though, if she was going to be able to make the connection strong enough for the trance she was looking for. She readied herself, and then jutted her hip into the side of the bed. Max woke with a start, gasping softly. Mia eyes bore into hers, not giving Max a chance to think about anything.

Mia watched as her eyes glossed over, before rolling back into her head. She slumped back against the bed, head hitting the wall with a slight bump. Mia winced. She gently helped Max into a more comfortable position and covered her up.

Mia straightened and brushed imaginary dust off her hands. She smirked with pride and satisfaction; that was a heck of a lot easier than she had thought.

The light streaming in from the hall broke with shadows. Her eyes darted to the door, and got the shock of her life when she saw Alec heading straight for the room. He hadn't noticed her yet, he was brooding almost angrily. She knew she had no time to leave, so she glanced around frantically and quickly found her hiding spot just as Alec entered the room. Mia watched, curious beyond belief. What was Alec doing in Max's room if they were in the middle of WW III.

She decided to watch for just a little bit, totally not eavesdropping. Then she would put him under too. It wasn't like she had to hunt him down now.

Alec was mad. He was supposed to be mad at Max, or hell, even Logan, but instead he was mad at himself.

For some reason Alec just couldn't bring himself to leave without seeing her one more time. He really shouldn't want to see her at all. Max may not have realized it, but she had hurt him, bad.

So here he was, lurking in the hall of the hospital, right outside Max's door.

He inhaled deeply, and entered Max's room. It was dark in there, which he expected, but he didn't count on Max being asleep. He was both surprised and relieved.

He walked up to her bed, his face not showing any emotion. He stopped three feet from her bed and pulled up a chair-the chair, the chair he had sat in faithfully by her side. He had to smirk at the irony of the whole thing. He had been so patient, fought so hard to keep from losing Max, but now he was willing to leave her.

His eyes landed on her face. She looked so vulnerable and innocent when she was asleep, although you could tell by the way her eyebrows were creased that she was still troubled in her dreams. She flipped over and mumbled his name, frustrated.

Alec stilled, wondering if she really was awake. When she didn't open her eyes, he let out his breath and realized how screwed up their relationship would be; they even fought each other in their sleep.

Maybe they just weren't meant to be.

He brushed his hand across her forehead with a sigh. Something startled him from behind. He turned his head, and only had time to catch a glimpse of a pair of hypnotic eyes mere inches from his own, before everything slowed. His vision was being replaced with black, and he was vaguely aware that he was falling forward in his chair. His head landed with a little bounce right on top of Max's stomach. The last thing he saw was Max's face, before the blackness closed in.

00000000000000000000\

Before he opened his eyes, he knew something was off. The air in Max's hospital room was dry and warm; here, it was cool and damp, either late night or early morning. It also smelled a little rank, like rotting flesh.

His eyes shot open, taking in his surroundings quickly. He was in an alley. It was dark and covered in potholes. The potholes had filled when it rained and they now reflected the light coming from a bar at the end. He was at a dead end, entrapped in brick walls. The only way was forward.

He wondered momentarily if he had lost his mind, before he gave a careless shrug. He decided that if he was going insane like brother Ben, then he might as well humor his self.

He started towards the bar. As he got closer, he realized that he wasn't in Seattle. He had been to all the Seattle bars, and he didn't recognize this one at all. Since transgenics have photographic memory, he deduced that this was not his home town.

He walked in. It was crowded and sparsely lit. There was music playing, a pulsating beat that he could feel vibrating deep in his chest. The tables were full of hard, rugged looking customers, mostly guys. He sat in a bar stool at the counter, which he was surprised to find was almost completely empty. He caught the eye of the bartender.

"What'll it be boy?" she asked in a bored but stern voice.

Alec was taken aback for a second. Usually waitresses flirted like mad with him, old and young ones alike. She scowled at his hesitation.

"I'll be back when you grow some balls," she started to turn dismissively.

"I can assure you that I am _not _lacking in that area at all," she gave a snort.

"Whatever you say pretty boy."

He glared, but ignored it, "You just surprised me. Usually the female species swoon at me."

She rolled her eyes, "Boy, but you have one heck of an ego."

He frowned, remembering a certain someone who had told him those things. It was a little more believing when he heard it coming from an impartial stranger who held no grudges against him for being Manticore's star soldier.

"I didn't mean it to be arrogant. It just caught me off guard. You actually remind me of a friend of mine, Original Cindy. She's not afraid to tell it to me like it is. It's kind of refreshing."

She gave him a calculating look, sizing him up. Alec held her stare boldly, refusing to give in and look away. She must have found what she was looking because she the smallest flash of smile grace her face, before she looked around at where she was and returned her face into it's emotionless mask.

"You gotta name, kid?"

Alec scowled at her, "Alec, and quit calling me kid. I'm not much younger than you."

She looked at him for a long moment, "Maybe age-wise, but you're not from around here. I can tell. You have this innocence to you that no one else does, except maybe Nancy. Even there, she's still seen a lot more than you have."

Alec snorted rudely, but the waiter didn't change her statement or even look like she wanted to take it back.

"Listen, _lady_," he emphasized, mockingly, "You have no right to make any assumptions like that – besides, I've probably been through more of a hell than you can imagine."

She just held his gaze.

Alec rolled his eyes, but let it go, "I'll have a scotch."

"Name's Daisy," she turned and poured his drink. She smirked slightly, "Here you go big boy, one…_scotch._"

The way she said it made it come out mockingly, like it was some sort of pansy martini…which led to him bragging about how he could hold his liquor than anyone here.

Daisy smiled at him in a way that clearly said 'Bull-_shit' _but she said, "I'm sure you could."

Alec sighed. "Give me the best you got."

She shrugged her shoulders and called out, "Marv!"

The floor vibrated slightly as the footsteps drew closer. Alec visibly gulped. As he turned to take in this goliath of a man, he was grabbed by the throat and hauled out of his stool roughly.

A deep voice growled, "This boy botherin' you?"

Daisy smiled, as if this whole thing was amusing, "No Marv, down boy."

There was a slight pause where Alec was sure Marv was glaring at her, before he was dropped back onto his stool. He gulped in breaths of air, while the two continued on talking as if nothing had happened. It seemed like Daisy was making sure that Marv understood Alec was a friend and didn't need a beating.

"You shitting me? This boy thinks he can take me on?" Marv, whom Alec was referring to as the giant, turned his attention on him.

He cleared his throat and spoke in a hoarse voice, "I'm not a boy," the giant rolled his eyes at this, but Alec, who was getting used to this, continued, "And I could take four of you on."

Transgenics don't get drunk anyway.

Daisy and the giant Marv shared a conspiring smile. Daisy pulled out some old beat up bottle.

Alec's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline, "What's that?"

"Homebrew. Made it myself. It's the only thing strong enough to get Marv here even the slightest of a buzz."

Marv gave him a slap on the back, "We can water it down to make it fair-"

"No need," Alec stopped him and nodded at Daisy. She poured the shots and the game started.

Ten minutes later and eight shots later, Alec, Marv, and Daisy were all carrying on as if they had been friends for years.

"I have to say Alec," Daisy had stopped calling him Alec after he downed the first three shots, one right after the other, "No one has ever come close to Marv, let alone beat his record."

Marv grinned, "You're alright kid."

Marv didn't. But Alec was not about to correct him. This man was truly a god. He had as many shots as Alec had, but wasn't the slightest bit intoxicated. Alec wisely decided Marv was not a man to mess with.

They decided that it was a tie, and ended idly drinking and talking. So far, Alec had deducted that this was, indeed, not Seattle, and he also was slightly suspicious that it wasn't even the same year.

When the conversation stopped, Alec took the moment to once again glance at the empty bar counter.

"How come no one's drinking?"

Daisy looked at him funny, "They are."

"I mean, why aren't they at the counter?"

"Nancy's here tonight," she said knowingly, as if that clarified everything.

"Uh…Nancy?"

Marv nodded towards the back of the bar where there was a crowd of men gathered around a stage.

Understanding flitted across Alec's face as he took in the performer. She had leather chaps, a diamond studded bra, and long bleach blonde hair…hot- no, _perfect _body. She swayed and moved with the beat while working the rope like a goddess. He felt himself drooling along with all the other male onlookers until she spun around.

His breath caught and all he could do was stare, open-mouthed.

"Max!?"

0000000000000000000

The last thing she remembered was being in her hospital bed – not fully dressed, and riding her baby, which was supposedly crashed.

Max almost wrecked it again, so great was her joy that it was back to its perfect condition. She had to pull over and stop until she calmed down.

When she had calmed she got back on and drove to the nearest town. When she had read the name she became worried.

Blackwater Ridge. Lost Creek, Colorado.

She pulled into the first place she saw, which was a small gas station. It was kind of run down which Max was used to. What she wasn't used to was gas at 3.69 a gallon. In Seattle it was about 8.15 a gallon.

Unnerved, Max parked her baby and practically ran into the gas station. She wasn't sure why, but she let out a deep breath when she saw that there was an old man running the register.

For a second, she thought that maybe she was the only one left on Earth.

He smiled at her, "Ello liddel lady, wha kin I git ya?"

"Ya, that sign out there said this was…" she gestured with his hands to continue.

He beamed proudly, "Marty's Gas, fam'ly owned since 1968-"

"Not that," she interrupted impatiently, "I mean, is this really Lost Creek, Colorado?"

"Sure is, yunggin…why dya ask?"

Max thought quickly, "I thought I was lost, but I guess I'm not anymore." She smiled brilliantly, dazzling the poor old man silly.

"Well, dats right good news der. Don't want our yunggins getting lost on us oldfolk."

Max turned around and took her first look at the store. She thought her mouth was going to hit the ground. She was sure she heard a hallelujah chorus.

Stacked neatly, rows upon heavenly rows, was- well, everything. Potato chips, beef jerky, candy, pop, _toothpaste? _

This store was just like the stories she heard about before the Pulse. Everything stocked. Everything full. Everything clean.

She seemed to float her way down the aisles.

She suddenly stopped when something caught her eye.

_No, it couldn't possibly be-_

But it was, sitting right there for her taking. As a matter of fact there were many of them. Max hurriedly grabbed one and raced up to the desk. She slammed it down, scaring the old man out of his reading, and dug frantically around in her pockets. She found two tens and hoped it would cover it. She shoved it at him before she grabbed her purchase back up and shucked the wrapper right there in the store.

The man watched on, amused.

She sniffed its heavenly scent, eyes rolling back into her head in pleasure. She took a tentative bite and groaned.

She had only had a Snicker once in her life. It was right after the Pulse, when she had escaped. She had been in her first store, and didn't have any money, which according to Manticore was how you got stuff. She had waited until the clerk was turned before she swiped it and ran. It was literally heaven.

She finished her bar, licking her fingers clean.

The man cleared his throat, "Your change."

Max's eyes became huge, "Uh…I think you counted wrong."

He was giving her back 19.25. There was no way a Snicker could cost 75 cents. The one she had stole was almost 25 dollars. They didn't make them anymore, all the factories quit working and had been abandoned.

"Yunggin, I may be a lotta things, but daft isn't one of em," He grabbed her hand and placed the change in it. She was frozen for a moment before she nearly blurred down the aisles, filling her arms with as many goods as she could hold.

When she approached the counter again, she couldn't even see to walk. The old man had chuckled warmly.

"Where you from yunggin? You act like you never seen a chocolate bar in your life."

She gave him a strange look, "I don't get out much."

Something was off here. Everything was too cheap. She looked around the store for clues.

"Can I get a newspaper too?"

"Sure thing." He placed the paper on top of her mountain of junk food. He rang it up and she paid.

She walked over to her baby, and stalled by finding somewhere to store three bags of junk food on her baby. She was surprised they all fit in the trunk under her seat.

When Max could stall no longer, she took out the paper, and read the date.

_2007?!_

She read a few articles, understanding the low prices were from a Pulse-free world, \ before tossing it. She mounted her bike in a daze, the sun shining down on her mockingly happy.

It roared to life and she took off.

She had absolutely no idea what to do. Was she dreaming?

How did she end up in 2007, and why?

She heard horns blaring. She looked up and noticed that she had drifted into the next lane, a semi was coming, and there was a car right next to her. In less than a second she calculated her choices: take a semi head on…or hit the car next to her.

She leaned over fast and sharp, head bouncing off the driver window of the car that had finally noticed her presence. The car jerked right and made room for her to drive down the middle. She just barely fit fully touching the black car next to her, while brushing against the semi as it drove past. When it was past, Max's adrenaline wore off. Her head pulsated and she had just enough time to curse mentally before she slumped forward, dizzy. Her bike lost speed, but fell to the side, throwing her from it as it did violent jumps before skidding to an abrupt stop. Max felt blood flowing from her body as she faded out of consciousness.

When she woke, she heard voices talking in a worried tone.

When she opened her eyes she saw she was lying in front of, if she was right, a black Impala.

She didn't have long to admire the rare classic before she recognized one of the voices.

She spun her head around to face two startled men, "Alec?"

**Sorry, I've been busy with school and work, but hey- another chapter down. Review please.**


	13. Chapter 12

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dark Angel, Supernatural, or Sin City**

**AN: For those who haven't seen Supernatural or Sin City, Dean Winchester is a hunter of the paranormal played by Jensen Ackles, or Alec. Natalie is a dancer at a bar played by Jessica Alba, or Max. **

**I suggest rereading the last chapter a little bit before reading this because that stupid jerk person who's writing it hasn't updated in five months, and people's memories may be a little fuzzy. ;)**

Alec had no control over his actions. All he knew was that one second he was sitting at the bar with Marv and Daisy, then he found out that Max was an exotic blonde dancer, and he was stalking his way toward the table she was performing.

He was almost to the outer ring of onlookers when Marv brought him back to his senses, possibly saving his self from great embarrassment.

"Hey kid, you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Alec shook his head a little, breaking the trance Max had managed to weave him in, and took a second to take in exactly what was happening. He turned away from her, trying in earnest to focus.

Daisy gave him a skeptical look, though he could see just the tiniest trace of worry. Alec was glad he had earned her respect. She just reminded him too much of OC.

He suddenly felt a closing sensation, the room spinning slightly as it appeared to morph and dance wickedly. It was overwhelming his frayed emotions and tapped out mind. He had already been in the middle of a great emotional drama before this. Really, the last few weeks had been one big stress after another. He could no longer stand the pulsating music, the powerful scent of sweat, or the flamboyant lights that flashed adding to the seductive performance of the rather OOC Max.

He stumbled through the people, ignoring the angry shouts of the miffed men who he bumped into in his haste to get outside. It didn't matter. Aside from Marv, not many people could cause him too much harm. They were probably just upset about their attention being stolen from the erotic performance, even for the briefest of seconds. He paused at the doorway, giving one last wistful gaze at Max. He couldn't decide if he wanted to cover her up and protect her from the vile thoughts of all the drunken men around her, or take her somewhere private and _do _all the sinfully sweet things they were thinking and more.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't realize he was staring until he noticed her stutter in her flawless dance. It was noticeable because her movements hadn't stopped yet. They had come out in an effortless flow that screamed feline grace and poise. He focused and realized she was staring into his eyes.

They were in a trance. No one existed except for them.

Angry shouts brought them back, the bar gradually returning to view.

He forced his gaze to the side, gave his head a little shake, and proceeded to walk out the door.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Max awoke to a rather heated argument resonating around, indicating that she was inside somewhere. Since most of the noise was behind her, she chanced a quick peak. Wincing, she closed her eyes. The window was letting in a particularly harsh glared from the mid-noon sun. From the looks of the cheap, puke-green drapes that they so obviously chose to ignore, therefore letting in the bright rays and being the cause for her pain, she could tell she was in some sort of cheap motel.

"We don't have time to baby-sit, Sammy! Dad sent us coordinates!" Through her foggy mind she could feel his frustration seeping into his voice.

"He's always sending us coordinates," an unfamiliar voice responded, non-plussed.

There was a long silence before Alec spoke up with his steely Manticore voice, "That's that, then? Dad could be in trouble, but you're gonna choose this stranger who's probably not gonna make it through the night?! She thinks she knows me for God's sake!!"

Max felt herself fill with confusion, which rapidly gave way to anger. She had no clue what was going happening, and Alec certainly wasn't helping. Though it didn't surprise her, she certainly wasn't immune to it. She sat up quickly, cutting off whatever the brunette was going to say.

She didn't want to hear anymore. The longer she listened to him rant, the more she was convinced that indeed, this man was not Alec. He was too serious, while Alec was was more the happy-go-lucky guy who never showed his emotions unless he was fighting with her. This man, so blinded by his fury, hadn't even noticed her wake up. He was too busy glaring at the other man.

The other man, however, who had noticed her and stopped talking even before she had finished sitting up, was watching her rather intently with a somewhat shocked. A good two minutes passed before "Alec's" breathing had calmed and he noticed the expression on his friend's face. He slowly started to turn his head towards her. Max's eyes widened, and she felt an irrational sense of panic run through her at the prospect of meeting his eyes. Eyes that were the only familiar thing in this unknown place. She didn't want to see the polite concern that would be there, the look you give to a lunatic stranger you might pity. If she did, she would have to accept this. She would have to admit that she really was somehow stranded in the past where she was completely alone with this Alec look-alike to rub the salt in the wound of never seeing her friends.

She shot out of the bed, perhaps a little faster than humanly possible, but she was becoming quickly frenzied like a cornered animal. The unknown man made a startled noise in the back of his throat. She avoided looking at "Alec".

She heard, rather than saw, them both jump up out of their chairs in synchronized time. They must have had some sort of silent communication because they paused for a moment before one headed to the door while the other stayed behind. Cautiously, he approached her, his boots coming into her line of sight then hesitating. She focused on these boots as she tried to calm her racing heart. It didn't help her feeling of being cornered knowing that one of them was, no doubt, blocking the exit. She could only hope that someone out there was feeling a little sorry for her and wish that it was "Alec" who was by the door on the other side of the room, not the mystery man right in front of her.

Once the adrenaline started to wear off, she became vaguely aware of her injuries. The rips in her clothes allowed the cool fresh air to brush against her raw bloody skin, innocently inflaming her nerves, causing her to nearly black out from the pain. With the firm belief that this was not the time nor place, she took deep, calculated breaths as she compartmentalized the pain until it was in the back of her mind and her vision started to clear.

Dread rose up Max's throat as she heard that it was, indeed, "Alec" who stood so close in front of her as he spoke up. Lady luck must really hate her.

"Hey, it's okay," his deep voice rumbled out. As he took another step closer, she could see he had his hands held up in a placating manner. He continued to inch closer.

"Just calm down," he suggested, "Were not gonna hurt you."

He was talking to her like she was the one in danger here. She wasn't some terrified two year-old. She was a cornered animal! Didn't they know it was dangerous to corner an animal.

He continued to come closer, "Why don't you just tell us your name."

She rolled her eyes, still somehow avoiding her gaze.

He seemed to notice.

"Miss?" he prompted.

"Max," she said to his boots, "My name's Max."

His posture relaxed a little and he used his hands to help him talk. "Alright Max, I'm Dean," his hands gestured briefly to the door, "That tall dork over there is my brother Sammy-"

There was a strangled cry of disbelief and outrage from behind her, but "Alec" didn't let that stop him as he continued on suavely.

"Now what was a pretty lady such as yourself doing riding on one of those deathtraps in the first place if you can't handle it?"

Max's mouth actually dropped open in shock at his subtle insult. It was blatantly obvious to her that he thought her some bimbo who wouldn't catch it, unless he always patronized complete strangers, which she doubted. Forgetting about her resolution to avoid his gaze, her eyes flashed up to his.

He didn't take heed of the fire he saw there, merely smirked triumphantly.

Too late, she realized that he was goading her purposely and berated herself for falling for it, but she forced eyes to remain steady on his.

As her cheeks colored in anger she realized that this clone, who called himself Dean, was more like Alec than she would have liked. Max felt ashamed that she had been acting like the timid school girl not even a minute before.

"I can drive that 'deathtrap' in circles around you. Besides, it's probably much safer than that old hunk of rusted metal _you _drive around!" she hissed through clenched teeth. She heard Sam groan.

Dean stupidly ignored the warnings of predator as his own anger flared. "MY WHAT??!!!"

She heard Sam mumble something that sounded suspiciously like "why did she have to dis the car?? Max stood her ground, hands on her hips.

Dean sneered at her. In a honey sweet voice that held a hidden poison he spoke, "Sweetheart, you obviously don't know that much about cars, so I'm going to let that slide. But if you ever trash talk my Impala again, you'll be sorry."

Max's fury exploded. With a primal cry, she shoved him in the chest, hard. Probably harder than she should have. Dean's face of total shock was completely worth it though, as he, not just stumbled, but practically flew across the room to slam up against the wall, plaster falling in his hair.

She smirked in satisfaction, then pirouetted on her heel. Marching straight up to Sam, she stopped in front of him, sweet smile on her face.

"Which way to my baby?"

Sam, who assumed that she was talking about her bike, could only point. Her smile turned genuine.

"Thank you for all your help."

She then proceeded to push past, as he was in too much of a daze to actually move out of her way, and started to walk leisurely down the street.

The brothers watched her walk away in shock.


	14. Chapter 13

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dark Angel, Supernatural, or Sin City**

**AN: For those who haven't seen Supernatural or Sin City, Dean Winchester is a hunter of the paranormal played by Jensen Ackles, or Alec. Natalie is a dancer at a bar played by Jessica Alba, or Max. **

Alec decided he should get a look around. He shook his head with distaste when a voice popped into his head, echoing a training tac from Manticore. It made him uncomfortable knowing that even though Manticore was out, he would never fully be able to escape it. His scowl deepened as he realized that his body had automatically listened to the voice.

He was learning the unkown territory, searching for dangers, scoping out escape routes.

He paused as he came across a man. It would have looked like he was merely taking a quick nap, slumped against the cold brick if it weren't for the brain matter splayed out on the wall, painting out his death in red evidence.

_Ouch._

He gave a shake, hoping to clear the image, but every blessing comes with a curse. He really didn't want his photographic memory right now.

He squatted down in front of the unfortunate man. From the front you couldn't see that half his head was gone, only a small red hole the size of a quarter, right between the eyes, indicated something was lethally wrong.

"Well buddy, you know what they say," he said conversationally, eyes flicking down. He pulled some pictures out of the front pocket and started leafing through them, "Better you than me-"

Alec paused, disgusted by the snapshots of the abused girls.

"-or anyone. Sick bastard. Whoever popped you did the world a favor."

He carelessly threw the pictures down, unable to look through them all when he saw a little girl who had familiar doe-eyes. He resumed his search fruitfully, producing a wallet and some dull colored paper.

Casually he began to peruse the wallet.

"Credit cards, stamps,-" his jaw clenched as he tossed aside the condoms. He continued without speaking, trying to keep his temper in check. He came across what he was looking for, though his face remained unchanged. He pulled it out.

"John Rice. Male. Blue eyes. Blah, blah..." his voice drifted off. He almost tossed it aside, but something about the expiration date caught his eye. He stared at it a bit with round eyes.

"2119?!!"

AAAAAAAAAAA

Ten minutes later Alec was still staring at the card, oblivious to the grotesque cadaver not even three feet from him. But as motionless as he was physically, his mental side was going one hundred miles a minute.

A loud shout made him panic. He plastered an innocent look on and was in the zone. He turned, ready to talk his way out of being caught in such a compromising way, but no one was there.

He realized his transgenic hearing had had picked it up from inside the bar. His breath escaped in a puff of relief. Turning back around, he threw the ID down, ignoring it for the moment. The colored paper that he had put aside before, he now realized was the future US currency.

"Well, you weren't mugged...I wonder which one of your female friends finally taught you a lesson."

A quiet gasp came from somewhere behind him. This time he spun around quickly, not bothering to plaster on a smile. Her outline was silhouetted in the doorway, the bright lights catching her platinum hair, creating an cherub like haze around her head.

He was stunned for a minute, unable to speak or move, then the door swung shut. The bright light was cut off, allowing him to finally see the expression of mild horror on her face. She put a hand over her mouth and looked down, squeezing her eyes tightly shut.

He knew he should walk over and try to comfort her, but he couldn't. He was completely thrown out and could not get over how vulnerable Max looked right now. It was so totally out of character that he was in a mild state of shock that even the century-off date couldn't achieve. The fact that he was in the future had only put his mind in hyper-drive, analyzing and meticulously sorting out little snippets of information trying to solve what had happened. That was definitely not shock, it was Manticore training kicking in, giving him a cool head to go about his dilemma and deal with it. But this, the Max look-alike standing in front of him, trying not to scream, had swiped his mind entirely, leaving him utterly blank.

_Well, shit._

_AAAAAAAA\\_

The sun was blaring and bright, almost like a physical blow to her eyes, as she had stepped out of the hotel room past Sam. Now, her eyes had adjusted somewhat, but you could only handle so much when your eyes are accustomed to 364 rainy days a year. While her transgenic retinas were rather useful as they had immediately shifted to accommodate the blinding light, but they were fully retracted and she still felt a headache coming on.

Lush greenery surrounded her on all sides like a protective blanket. It was even so cheesy as to have birds chirping in the gentle breeze that was tickling through.

Max snorted, but on the inside she was in awe. The US really was a land of "milk and honey". It was a nice change. The people were friendly, the air was fresher, the sky bluer- yes, no matter how cliché, the grass was _definitely _greener.

A small wave of dizziness passed over her and she slowed her walking, taking in big breaths. Never one to waste a moment, no matter how incapacitated, she started cataloging her injuries. Belatedly, she realized that maybe she had done this backwards and should have done this the minute she was conscious. It could have caused a more serious problem than just having to slow down for a second. Those men might well have called the police, and she would have had to fight her way out. For all she knew, she could be bleeding internally with multiple severed nerves. But she had been overwhelmed when she woke up and couldn't really find it in her self to actually feel all the guilty. Besides, after she completed her check-up, she knew it wasn't serious. All she had was severe cases of road rash, and while they hurt like hell and made it look like she just stepped out of a horror movie, they didn't hinder her in any way. She figured the only reason she was still passing out was due to a mixture of the blood loss and bouncing her head off of that Dean guy's car.

She began walking again, opting not to think too hard about anything until she reached her baby. It would calm her down and give her a clear head to see something familiar. Something familiar that didn't act any different now than it did in the past. And this may be stretching it, but something that _recognized _her.

She smiled sardonically, laughing at how upset she really was about this whole ordeal if she was talking about her motorcycle remembering who she was, because yes, she sometimes gave Alec hell if he made fun of her for calling it her baby, but she didn't really believe it was capable of doing anything but go fast.

She shrugged her shoulders, wincing a bit as her raw skin rubbed against her leather jacket. She opted to just take it off since it was unbearably hot anyway. Jacket hanging gracefully from two fingers, she felt the sun warm her bare skin up that showed through her tank-top. It felt much better now that the suffocating black was off and she actually got goosebumps.

This was bliss. With a little bit of a bounce in her step and her troubling thoughts in the back of her mind, she focused only on enjoying the moment and making it back to her baby.

A thought crossed her mind. With a mischievous smirk she strayed from the road, getting quickly lost in the green scenery.

Max didn't recall ever using her transgenic abilities just for the heck of it. They only came out when she was in training or a life or death situation. But as she blurred through the trees, she couldn't remember ever feeling so alive. It was simply exhilarating, and she felt a bubble of laughter spree from deep inside her before she could stop it, but she didn't care. Heck, she was half tempted to do a Tarzan in order to release all this carefree energy. She felt it would float her away.

She recognized a tree that she saw before she crashed, so she headed back to the road. Almost perfectly, she noticed that this was exactly where she had wrecked. She could see the skid marks from where Dean had slammed on the breaks, the scrapes where her bike had slid, and even the brown rusty trace of a blood trail where her momentum had dragged her body across the pavement.

All that, and not a bike in sight.

Her bubble of happiness burst.

Her eyes widened in a pleading panic, "No, no, no, NO!" she started out in a whisper, but as her panic turned to frustration, she was yelling.

She stared stupidly at the spot where the majority of bright green fluids pooled. It should be right there. She didn't even care that she probably had a cracked radiator.

Idly she wondered if people were as crooked in the past as they are in the future, because if the evidence of the fluids was anything to go by, and the radiator was the only thing broken, then it was still rideable. For a short time, anyway, if they were smart and didn't let it overheat. For their own sake, she hoped the theif didn't do that. Because when, not if, _when _she caught up with them and found out they had blown her engine, there would be hell to pay.

Of course, there was a small chance that Sam and Dean had it towed for her when she was out. A small flicker of hope came to life, and she held onto it desperately.

It made sense to check with Sam and Dean first before they left the hotel...

She froze, eyes widening.

This time, when she ran, she didn't get that sense of flying, just the feeling that she couldn't go fast enough.


	15. Chapter 14

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Dark Angel, Supernatural, or Sin City**

**AN: For those who haven't seen Supernatural or Sin City, Dean Winchester is a hunter of the paranormal played by Jensen Ackles, or Alec. Natalie is a dancer at a bar played by Jessica Alba, or Max. **

When the hotel came into sight, and the black car was still in the lot, she deflated with relief. Slowing down to a light jog. Her mind finally cleared from the blind panic she had been in, giving her a chance to actually think. When her brain had caught up with her, she eased her steps to a lazy pace.

Something was off.

Back at Manticore, shad for some reason, excelled at profiling. At the age of four she could give a brief summary of a person's personality after a mere glance at their face. Her secret was their fabled "window to the soul". It was people's eyes that gave them away. Manticore soldiers made her uneasy because they are hard to read- they shuttered their windows, a feat not many ordinary people could achieve.

That's why all this was giving her a funny feeling in her gut. In the five minutes she had spent in the hotel room, she knew a good deal about the Winchesters, well – Sam, anyway. Therefore, she felt confident in saying Sam was a good person. His eyes were caring. That's why she was heading here in the first place – she really believed that he had called a tow for her. He was sacrificially kind even, because she was aware that they were in some kind of a riff with the police. The fact that they fled the scene of the crime backed her up. By all means, if they were the innocent Samaritans they pretended to be, they would have stayed until officials showed up, and she would have woken in a white beeping hospital.

She reached the door and stared at it.

Max also knew that he was intelligent, brainy even. He didn't forget things easily, so she had to assume that when he pointed her in the direction of the crash site, he had purposely lied to her. And for the life of Logan's wheelchair, she couldn't make sense of it. It went against his caring personality. Max had tried coming up with possible motives, but couldn't figure out his reasons. Obviously it was something important. Something had changed his mind about her, or he wouldn't have bothered with a tow truck in the first place.

But none of that really mattered. What bothered her was surely he knew she would come back when she had found her bike missing, so she knew that this was some sort of trap, though she couldn't figure out why they would do that.

She stared at the door a little longer, but when her mind drew a blank, she shrugged her shoulders.

She was transgenic after all.

What trouble could these two normals possibly be?

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped into the dark.

At first, she had stopped in the doorway because her eyes were still adjusting from the harsh sun, but as her eyes began to become accustomed to the dark, she didn't _dare _move because she realized that the lights were actually off, even though the door had been unlocked. If that wasn't enough to make her uneasy, the cocking of a gun echoing through the empty darkness was.

"Don't move," came Dean's rough voice from somewhere to her left.

Max obeyed. She was a stuck target in the midday sun that spilled in behind her, preying her like a barreled fish. While she knew she could blur out of the way before Dean's brain could even finish processing that he needed to pull the trigger, she had no idea where Sam was.

Wouldn't that be just her luck to incapacitate Dean and swing him around as a human shield while Sam had been right behind Dean the whole time.

Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind her, presumably by Sam since she hadn't head Dean's heavy boots move.

Max panicked, urging her eyes to adjust faster. She was at a great disadvantage compared to Sam and Dean who had been in the dark, waiting for her. Her heart rate picked up at his seemingly sudden, though he had more than likely been there the whole time, close proximity.

They could probably see her now.

It didn't matter. Max focused on her hearing.

Dean continued, "We have guns trained on you, so don't try anything."

She wished he would shut up.

"Now, tell us what you want."

_What _I _want? _Her mind screamed, but she stamped down on the thought, still waiting.

There it was. A faint rustle from her immediate right.

That's all that she needed. As she planned out her plan of action, instinctively taking care of the closer threat, and turning towards Sam, the most unexpected thing happened.

She was splashed in the face.

As she stood there, blinking in confusion, Sam bellowed in her face, "Cristo!!"

It startled her so much, she believed she really did jump about three feet in the air. She fell back landing ungracefully on the floor.

The room suddenly stilled, as if she had broken some uncrossable line.

She was panting heavily from her spot on the floor when Sam flicked the lights on. Both boys were staring at her, faces distinctly confused.

With the threat on her life gone, Max's anger erupted, "What the HELL was that for!"

She sprung to her feet. Sam looked down, ashamed. She didn't care.

"You guys got a lot of nerve, you know that! Sending me on some wild goose hunt trying to find my bike, assaulting me with- with..." when she wiped her face the liquid was clear, "With water! And yelling in my face. Tell me do you treat all the strangers you across like this, or does lunatic run in the family?"

As she ranted, Sam had looked increasingly guilty, shrinking with every biting word. Dean, who until then had been watching Sam, turned furious eyes on her.

"You bitch!" Max started. Alec had never called her a name before and meant it. She told herself this was Dean. "Are you upset because we splashed you with a little harmless water, or cuz we scared you?"

It was obvious he was protecting Sam, but it didn't seem to help. He looked even more miserable, maybe even a little embarrassed at having his big brother standing up for him.

"Dean," he groaned without looking up, "she's right. It's not her fault."

Dean's jaw clenched, a vein on the side of his face ticked, and though he looked fit to burst, his mouth stayed firmly shut. Max rolled her eyes and noticed something on the ceiling above Sam's head.

Her eyes widened, "What _is _that!!!"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"It's not what it looks like."

She made no indication she heard him.

He watched her warily, waiting for her to do _something. _Scream, cry, run away...throw up? - because if he wasn't the hardened Manticore soldier he was trained to be, that's the first thing he would have done.

She just stood there, her wide doe eyes fixed on the gruesome scene. It vaguely registered in his mind that she might be going into shock.

That thought was the one that broke the trance. He held his hands up in a placating gesture as he rose slowly. He jumped a little when her eyes flew to him. He imagined he could hear her heartbeats calm. With her eyes on his face, her breathing started to slow down.

_Well she's just taking this all fine and dandy! _A frown marred his brow.

There was an awkward pause as Alec wondered frantically about what he should do next. This Nancy person threw him off. Nobody should be taking this _that _ well, especially a female. He suspected the only woman who could have handled it better was Max herself.

His problems were solved at the price of being shocked speechless yet again as she rushed forward and flung her arms about his neck. He stood still for a few seconds, his cheek against her light gold hair, eyes wide, before he hesitantly moved his arms and stiffly patted her back. She didn't seem to sense his unease because she squeezed closer to him.

After a few minutes, her weight shifted as her legs gave out. She sagged forward, causing Alec to tighten his arms to hold her against him. When he had a good grip on her, he leaned back to gaze at her face. She looked up at him through her lashes with an impish smile on her pouty lips.

"Sorry," her voice was similar to Max's, but much more girly, "it's just a relief to know that he can't hurt anyone anymore." Her eyes searched his face, "You don't know how grateful I am."

He smirked, "I can take a guess."

Her brows pinched together a bit as her wide eyes bore into his, "Thank you."

He sobered up a bit at the depth of her emotion. She leaned up and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. And Alec, with all his one-night stands and dangerous charms, blushed. He held her up with one arm while his other hand reached up to scratch his neck. He looked anywhere but in front of him.

It wasn't Nancy's fault at all. How was she supposed to know that she was fulfilling his dreams, yet at the same time, putting him through his worst nightmares. He cleared his throat.

She stopped gazing at him, her eyes flicking side to side, before speaking in her feminine voice again, "I'm sorry I'm loading all this on you. You probably don't even care."

He wondered how she could have such a sweet sounding voice, yet not seem ditsy. He was going to say something, but he had lost his chance.

"I hate to put you through this, but I don't think I can make it home on my own."

Alec studied her face, letting the possible double-meaning run through his head. He wasn't sure that was what she wanted, but it would affect his decision. Her innocent face gave nothing away, so he made his decision.

"I'll walk you home." Her thousand watt smile melted his insides, and he knew he made the right decision, but hoped he wouldn't do anything he might regret later.

She shifted to the side, shoulder to shoulder, as his arm supported her across her back, hand resting on her waist. Ever so slowly, they started their hobble down the street.


End file.
